General Answers

Can I buy a flight that originates outside the UK to travel to the UK?

Yes, but only in very specific cases. The rules for charter flights are very strict. If you hold a British passport and wish to fly to the UK on one of our charters then you will need to call our reservation staff on 020 8714 0010

Can I buy a return ticket from you and only use the return part.

No, charter flights are subject to very strict rules and if the outbound flight is not used the return portion of the ticket is automatically cancelled.

In some cases we may be able to supply an inbound only ticket to British passport holders who travelled out from the UK on a charter flight. However the rules are complex so it is best to phone us on 020 8714 0010 for advice.

Do I need a visa?

It is your responsibility to check that you have the required documents for your destination. The best source of information is usually the country's foreign office.

How long before my flight am I recommended to check in?

Flights under 4 hours
You are recommended to check in at least TWO HOURS prior to departure except when travelling to or from Israel when the minimum is three hours.

Flights over 4 hours
You are recommended to check in at least THREE HOURS prior to departure

I have lost my Insurance certificate, what do I do?

Please e-mail our ticketing and administration department and request a duplicate to be sent, include your Name, Address, Departure date, policy number and invoice number if known.

I have lost my Invoice, what do I do?

I have lost my Tickets, what do I do?

Please wait until 7 days prior to your departure date and then contact our administartion department on 020 8714 0010 between 11:30 and 17:30 Monday to Friday. Just quote your name and departure date and explain the problem, for most charter flights new tickets are easily reissued at the airport. Scheduled tickets have more complex rules and may require some form filling before they are reissued and in both instances may result in a charge.

I need to cancel my flight, what is the procedure?

Please contact our reservations department to check the cancellation conditions of your chosen airline or operator. Once you have the cancellation fees confirmed your cancellation will then need to be sent in writing to Charter Flight Centre. On receipt of your letter we will effect the cancellation and send out a cancellation invoice.

If I book a flight online with you, what security do I get in event of
fraud or bankruptcy etc.?

This is quite a broad question so I will break the answer to relate to
each stage of the booking.

All transactions on our website take place over a secure encrypted
connection that is verified by Thwate

One thing to note with the CAA is that if you pay for your flights using
a Credit card then your credit card company will refund your money in
the case bankruptcy of either our company or the tour operator. If you
pay by cash or debit card you are still covered but the procedure tends
to be far more drawn out. Again full details are on the ATOL website.

What is the difference between a charter and scheduled flight?

Charter flights are organised by tour operators to supply cheap available transport to their holiday destinations. Charter flights tend to run for short seasons, summer months to the summer sun holiday destinations and winter months to Ski or winter sun destinations. They also tend to operate on a weekly rotation and are generally only sold as one or two week durations, however some operators will sell odd durations and one ways close to the departure date depending upon their availability. The seats we sell are the operators excess availability or spare seats.
The rules for charter flights are very strict once booked they can't be changed amended or canceled without a charge or cancellation charge of up to 100 percent.

Charter airlines are like bus companies who supply the equipment and staff to the tour operators who organise the route and also the selling of the seats on the aircraft. Small operators that can't afford to charter a whole plane will often group together with other small operators and share the chartering of an aircraft for their chosen route.

Charter fares tend to vary depending on supply and demand, to keep the costs to a minimum tour operators will always try and fill their aircraft and will discount to the extent of selling below cost to fill their allocations. Prices can soar at certain times of the year when many people want or need to travel e.g.. school holidays, Bank holidays and Christmas are all popular times. Operators that have availability when most are full will increase their prices.

Scheduled flights are organised by airlines who look after the whole process . Scheduled flights operate throughout the year and are given fixed or "scheduled" departure times. The cost of a scheduled ticket is calculated over the year and will take into consideration factors such as time of year and demand, because scheduled flights run all year the don't expect to fly full all year, this means that scheduled fares must be higher to pay for the empty seats.

Scheduled airlines do not discount last minute like charter flights but will tend to offer restricted fares or advance purchase special offers. They also supply a proportion of their seats to "consolidators" who take on the administration from the airlines and impose heavy restrictions in exchange for fares below those the airlines publish. These fares are known as consolidated fares.

What is the standard luggage restriction for Charter flights?

Several airlines have recently altered luggage allowances. Most airlines now include 15 or 20kgs + 5kgs hand luggage allowance.

However some airlines do not include any hold luggage in the quoted price. In this instance, it will be clearly displayed in the time of booking.

Please check at time of booking. Infants in general are not entitled to a luggage allowance, Children and adults are given the same allowance.

What is the standard luggage restriction for Scheduled flights?

20 kgs or 44 pounds plus 5 kgs hand luggage is the average however the allowance can vary between 15 and 30 kgs plus 5 kgs hand luggage the only exception is that flights to and from the United States of America allow two pieces of luggage up to 30 kgs each. Please check at time of booking. Infants in general are not entitled to a luggage allowance, Children and adults are given the same allowance.

What should I do if I have a complaint

We hope that your holiday goes smoothly and to plan, however if there is a problem then please write in to our customer services department. Your letter will need to include a detailed description of your problem and also any supporting documentation such as receipts. A letter confirming your complaint will be sent to you by return outlining the procedure and time frame for dealing with your complaint.

When is my balance due?

Your Balance is due 10 weeks prior to departure unless the tickets you are buying are instant purchase fares in which case full payment is required at time of booking. Bookings made within 10 weeks of departure must be paid at time of booking.

When will I get my tickets?

Your eticket document will normally be emailed to you between 14 and 21 days before departure. For late bookings the eticket document will normally be emailed to you within 24-48 hours of you making the booking. You are advised to print the eticket document and take it to the airport with you as it contains important and useful information regarding your booking.

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Flights

The Charter Flight Centre normally acts as retail agents for ATOL holders. The ATOL number will be shown on your confirmation and this means you are financially protected under the ATOL scheme. We also sell flights under our own ATOL or as a ticket provider for recognised airlines.

There may be a discrepancy between the initial price and the final price this is because of the way we gather pricing data from suppliers, a full costing will always be given before confirmation. There is a handling fee of 2.5% if you pay by credit card; there is no extra fee if you pay by debit card.

Flight Timings

Timings and dates shown are correct to the best of our knowledge. However, due to the volume of flights in our database there can occasionally be some data errors. All timings will be confirmed at time of booking.

Please note that for flights departing in the early hours of the morning the date given is sometimes the check-in date. In this case the flight will actually depart the day after the date displayed. Full timings will be confirmed if you go through to book online, or by calling our reservations team on 020 8714 0010.

Price Match

We work very hard to make our prices competitive and judging by our feedback we get it right most of the time. If you do find a price on a competitor’s website that is cheaper than ours then please give us a call on 020 8714 0010 and we will do our best to beat it, no guarantees but sometimes a bit of human intervention is a good thing.

Group Bookings

We welcome groups of any size; call our experienced sales staff on 020 8714 0010 who will be happy to talk to you about your group booking. Booking a group can sometimes be hard work; we always recommend you 'phone us as we can help remove the hassle.